Courage
by Reader4077
Summary: Hermione has been captured and Voldemort wants to know where Harry Potter is. Will she tell him? Will Ron come to save her?


_A/N_

_Be warned! This is a pretty dark story, involving some torture and one of the Golden Trio. Just so you know. Dedicated to my friend who' been bugging me for weeks now to finish and publish this. __ Sorry it took me so long. Please read, enjoy and review!_

Hermione struggled in vain against the strong arms that held her. Bellatrix Lestrange just laughed at her feeble attempts.

"Now, now. Don't make do something I'll regret." She cackled into Hermione's ear, placing her wand against Hermione's throat. Hermione whimpered in fear, and shot a pleading look to Draco Malfoy who was also in the room and looking very uncomfortable. Well, at least Ron and Harry had gotten away. And she'd die before she told anyone where they were. Especially You-Know-Who. Their mission was much more important than her life. Even so, a small tear leaked out of Hermione's eye. She didn't want to die. Suddenly, she saw Draco gasp and grasp his forearm. She knew what that meant. The Dark Lord was calling for his followers.

"Looks like we're on." Bellatrix leered into Hermione's ear, then they both Disapparted.

И И И

Hermione Apparated with an "Ooph!" She still hadn't gotten used to that. She raised her head from her position on the floor to look around. To her surprise, she realized that she was just outside of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. A spark of hope flew through her. Maybe she and Bellatrix had Apparated to different places? She unsteadily got to her feet, looking around for someone she knew. The hall was empty.

"Don't even think about it." Hermione felt a wand poke her in the back, and slowly turned around to face Bellatrix. "The Dark Lord has control of the castle now." Bellatrix jeered. "So don't be hoping for help from those little friends of yours. Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Lord Voldemort had control of Hogwarts? How on Earth had that happened?

"You've kept the Dark Lord waiting long enough."Bellatrix gestured at the closed doors to the Great Hall. "In." Hermione hesitated, then with another glance at Draco who had Apparated behind his aunt, she drew in a deep breath and stepped towards the door. She was a Gryffindor. She had to have courage. She would not betray Ron or Harry no matter what. Two masked Death Eaters opened the doors for her, and with one final breath she stepped inside. She jumped a bit, and looked backwards over her shoulder as the doors clanged shut behind her. She was trapped. Turning towards the front, Hermione found all eyes in the room on her. Seated at the four House tables were all the Hogwarts students, faces frightened, and many bloodied or bruised. Hermione looked down the Gryffindor table and found several familiar faces, such as Neville Longbottom, who were looking at her in utter dismay. As Hermione's eyes traveled towards the front of the room, the finally reached the platform where all the professors and Hagrid were sitting. Standing behind each of them was a Death Eater. Some had two guards such as Professor McGonagall. Apparently Lord Voldemort had thought them dangerous enough to warrant two guards. Professor McGonagall looked like she wanted to stand up and do something, but after a warning glance from her Death Eaters, who both reached for their wands, she settled back in her seat.

"Well, well." Hermione's skin crawled with disgust and revulsion as she looked up and saw none other than Lord Voldemort rising from what used to be Headmaster Dumbledore's seat.

"The Mudblood. Perfect." Lord Voldemort said, coming to stand at the podium at the front of the stage. "You will tell us where Harry Potter is." He ordered. Hermione felt all eyes in the room on her, and everyone seemed to be holding their breath. She crossed her arms.

"Never." Voldemort scowled at her.

"Accio!" He commanded and pointed his wand at her. Hermione couldn't help but let out a small shriek of surprise as her feet suddenly shot forward, dragging her to the front of the room past terrified faces that turned to follow her, then dumped her in a heap on the floor in front of Voldemort. Slowly, she pulled herself up, then looked over her shoulder.

"I wouldn't be hoping for help from your pitiful friends, filthy Mudblood. The only ones armed is this room is myself and my Death Eaters. Now, I'll ask you one more time. Where is Harry Potter?" Hermione crossed her arms again and didn't say a word as she stared at Voldemort. There was a moment's silence, then,

"Crucio!" Hermione's world exploded in excruciating pain as Voldemort used the curse on her. She collapsed to the floor, her screams echoing off the stone walls. The student body shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Some of the younger students, and those who had known the Golden Trio hid their faces. On the other hand though, many of the Slytherin students seemed to be enjoying this. Finally the pain subsided, and Hermione lay on the floor gasping.

"Where is Harry Potter?" Voldemort demanded to know of her shaking form, but Hermione still refused to answer.

"Crucio!" The blinding pain came again and Hermione let out another earth-shattering scream as her world shattered, leaving behind only pain. Finally the pain receded.

"You will tell me where Harry Potter is!" Voldemort looked extremely angry that this one filthy Mudblood stood in the way of him finally destroying Harry Potter. Hermione drew in a deep breath, then unsteadily pushed herself to her feet. She stood there, waving and almost ready to collapse and said softly,

"I'll never tell you. I'd die first."

"That can be arranged!"Voldemort said, and raised his wand. "Avada Keda…" Voldemort started to say, but he was interrupted by a sharp "POP!" in the back of the room as someone Apparated in. All heads shot around to see who it was.

"Let. Her. Alone!" Ronald Weasley cried from where he had just appeared. He drew out his wand and pointed it at Voldemort. "Expelliarmus!" But Voldemort just laughed.

"Well, look who it is. Well, if the Mudblood won't tell me where Harry Potter is, maybe you will!" Voldemort raised his wand directly at Ron, but suddenly Neville Longbottom rose from his seat, and stood in the way.

"Out of the way Longbottom. I'll deal with you later." Voldemort commanded, and with a flick of his wand, he threw Neville off to the side. Voldemort raised his wand at Ron again, but then another Gryffindor stood up, and then another. Soon the entire Gryffindor table was standing between Voldemort and Ron. They were shortly joined by both the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs, so that only the Slytherins remained seated. Those standing in the middle, parted just enough to let Hermione pass, helping her to the back of the room where Ron enveloped her in an enormous hug. But Voldemort looked furious. He raised his wand to strike down the students when suddenly there came a cry.

"Protego!" Voldemort's spell bounced off the shield that now protected the student body, and whirled to the side, and found himself staring at Harry Potter.

"Ahh…. Potter. Just in time for your funeral." Voldemort fired a spell at Harry, but Harry managed to evade it. The two of them dueled for a while, firing spells at each other, and dodging the other's. The whole room had dissolved into chaos. Up on the platform, many of the teachers had managed to capture wands from Death Eaters and were now involved in some serious duels of their own. Professor McGonagall was taking on Bellatrix, and by the looks of it was holding her own. Down on the floor, the students were overtaking the Slytherins and taking the wands of those who had them. But in the very back of the room, trying to stay out of the way was Ron, who was supporting a barely conscious Hermione. After a while though, the tide of battle seemed to turn in favor against Voldemort and his followers. Voldemort scowled, as he continued his duel with Harry, and couldn't hit him with a curse. Finally, he drew up his arms and transformed into a black cloud of smoke, as he retreated.

"I'll get you Harry Potter!" His voice echoed through the Hall, as he flew down the room and out of the doors. When the Death Eaters realized that they were beaten, they too beat a hasty retreat. Harry sank to the floor to sit on the step of the platform to catch his breath. Everyone was cheering and congratulating each other and him for driving Voldemort and his followers out of Hogwarts. When Harry caught his breath, he rose and pushed his way to the back of the room where Ron and Hermione were.

"You ok?" He asked, concerned, addressing Hermione. She was looking a little bit better, but was still a bit shaky.

"Yeah." She said, brushing the hair out of her face. Harry smiled at her.

"Come on. We've got to find the rest of those Horcurxes. And fast. Voldemort is getting stronger if he had control of Hogwarts." Ron and Hermione nodded. As they prepared to Disapparate, a voice rang out over the room.

"Harry?" It was Professor McGonagall. Harry and the others looked up at her. The room was silent for a moment before she spoke again.

"Good luck." She finally said. "Whatever it is that you're doing, we're all counting on you." Harry nodded.

"Thanks." He said, then he, Ron and Hermione Disapparted, leaving Hogwarts behind once again.


End file.
